THE GILMOR BLADE Those who allow the surrender of their history, also surrender their future! Official Newsletter of THE COL. H.W.GILMOR CAMP, No. 1388, SONS OF CONFEDERATE VETERANS June 8 Camp meeting: Randy Drais on Exploring Gettysburg The Col. Harry W. Gilmor Camp #1388 will hold its next meeting June 8th, at 7:30 PM at the Baltimore County Historical Society, 9811 Van Buren Lane, Cockeysville, MD 21030. We will be discussing Confederate Memorial Day and the recently dedicated monument to William Clark that was part of the day s events. Our guest speaker this, Randy Drais, was born and raised in York, Pennsylvania. Randy developed a keen interest in the Battle of Gettysburg and the Gettysburg Campaign immediately after a 5th grade field trip to that famous Civil War battlefield. A lifelong passion to learn more resulted in his creation in March of 2008 of a website, http://battleofgettysburgbuff.com/, for individuals who wish to learn and do more than the average visitor to the battlefield. A companion website, http://battleofgettysburgbuff.net, Facebook page, and a quarterly newsletter soon followed. Minutes: May 11, 2016 Camp meeting The meeting was opened at 7:36 p.m. by Commander Dan Pyle. Commander Pyle offered the Invocation and led us in the Pledge of Allegiance to the U.S. flag and the Salute to the Confederate Flag. Commander Pyle read The Charge of General Stephen Dill Lee. Twenty-two members and guests were in attendance. The Camp had the honor of swearing in its two new- est members, Compatriots Darrell Kolscher and Chuck Johnson. Scott Mingus gave an excellent talk and Power Point presentation on the "2nd Battle of Winchester." BREAK Adjutant Elliott Cummings summarized the Minutes of the April 13, 2016 Gilmor Camp meeting. A graduate of York College of Pennsylvania with a B.A. in International Studies, Randy has worked in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, the Pennsylvania Department of State, and the Pennsylvania Senate. Married with two daughters, Randy retired on January 1, 2015 and will be able to devote even more time to his main passion, learning even more about the Battle of Gettysburg and sharing that information with others. Randy s presentation today is on Exploring the Battle of Gettysburg. Did you know that there were three privately-owned parks and a trolley line on the battlefield, all roughly operating at the same time? Did you know that in addition to citizen soldier John Burns, the 70+ year old civilian who fought alongside Union troops, there were other citizens who fought as well, including an African-American? Did you know that See June 8 meeting, p. 3 MOTION: To accept the Minutes as summarized. PASSED Commander Pyle reported on the April 23, 2016 clean up at Confederate Hill, Loudon Park Cemetery. There was a discussion on the upcoming June 4, 2016 Confederate Memorial Day Ceremony at Confederate Hill, Loudon Park. See June Minutes, p.2 The Charge "To you, Sons of Confederate Veterans, we submit the vindication of the Cause for which we fought; to your strength will be given the defense of the Confederate soldier's good name, the guardianship of his history, the emulation of his virtues, the perpetuation of those principles he loved and which made him glorious and which you also cherish. Remember, it is your duty to see that the true history of the South is presented to future generations." We need YOU! Saturday June 4 Confederate Memorial Day 8:00 Help us set up and install flags 9:00 Military units arrive and meet 10:30 Ceremony and program Cleanup afterwards 1
Confederate Memorial Day ceremony slated for June 4, 2016 Confederate Memorial Day is celebrated in Maryland each year on the first weekend in June nearest to the birthday of President Jefferson Davis. Once again this year the Colonel Harry W. Gilmor Camp of the Sons of Confederate Veterans has the honor of assisting the Maryland Division of the United Daughters of the Confederacy in planning and presenting the Confederate Memorial Day ceremony at Loudon Park Cemetery, Baltimore, Maryland. The purpose of the ceremony is to honor the thousands of soldiers who served the Confederacy during the War Between the States. Over 600 Confederate soldiers are buried at Loudon Park, including Colonel Harry W. Gilmor, General Bradley T. Program: *March on of troops *Invocation by UDC Chaplain *Pledge of Allegiance to the US flag *Salute to the Confederate flag *Introduction and welcoming remarks by SCV, MOSB, and UDC representatives *Guest speaker *Presentation of memorial wreaths and floral tributes by various patriotic organizations and military units *Rifle salute *Benediction *Refreshments Johnson, and Colonel James R. Herbert. Almost all of the states that gave troops to the Cause of Southern Independence are represented by the honored dead at Loudon Park. We would like to cordially invite you and all the members and friends of your organization to participate in this important annual ceremony. Confederate Memorial Day will be held on Saturday, June 4, 2016 at 10:30 AM. The cemetery is located at the 3800 block Frederick Road in southwest Baltimore, about three to four miles east of Exit13 of the Baltimore beltway, Route June Minutes Continued from p.1 -Arrival time to place flags and other set up tasks, 8:30 a.m. -We need a volunteer to be Wreath Coordinator. -2 nd Lt Cmdr Mike Williams is coordinating the event with the UDC. Commander Pyle reported that Compatriot Lou Fritz of the General Isaac Trimble Camp, SCV has purchased a plot adjacent to Confederate Hill at Loudon Park Cemetery and has erected a monument to William Clark. William Clark was killed on April 19, 1861 on Pratt Street in Baltimore while resisting the federal invasion of the City. The UDC has kindly agreed to include the William Clark monument dedication in the June 4, 2016 Confederate Memorial Day ceremony. 2 I-695. We would like to have all military units meet at Confederate Hill between 9 and 10:00 AM. The United Daughters of the Confederacy will provide refreshments (lemonade, cookies, etc.) for all participants and spectators following the ceremony. Please consider dressing as you would for a parade, not field duty. We ask that reenactors under 16 years of age not carry muskets or edged weapons. For additional details, contact Elliott Cummings. Announcements: June 24-26 - Corbitt s Charge, Westminster, Md. Treasurer Bruce Null reported that we have two donated War Between the States prints to be used as a fund raiser. Commander Pyle reported that he received a call from the Historian of Aberdeen Proving Ground inviting the Camp to tour the site of Col. Harry Gilmor's train raid. This area is normally off limits to the general public. The meeting was adjourned with a prayer at 9:15 p.m. Respectfully submitted, G. Elliott Cummings Adjutant
Historic flag returns home by Steve Beavers From:http://dailycorinthian.com/bo okmark/27171937/article- Historic+flag+returns+home The 11th Mississippi Infantry Regimental Flag has returned home. The flag is set to be formally donated to Shiloh National Military Park during a Wednesday, May 4 ceremony at the Corinth Civil War Interpretive Center. The ceremony will begin at 5 p.m. Chief Park Ranger Stacy Allen and Supervisory Park Ranger Ashley Berry drove over 10 hours to Edwards this week to transport the flag back to the Interpretive Center. Corinth native John N. Palmer donated the flag to Shiloh National Military Park. It is a big deal to have the flag here, said Berry. This marks the eighth in a collection of flags we have either on loan or have been donated to the park. The 11th Mississippi flag will be put up in the lobby entering the auditorium of the Interpretive Center. The ladies of Crawford presented the flag to the 11th Mississippi soldiers prior to their leaving for the Eastern Theater. The 11th Mississippi was made up of 10 companies from the northern portion of the state. All 1,000 members were volunteers, including the University Greys a company of students who left the University of Mississippi to join the war. Almost the entire student body, including many professors from the college, left school and enlisted in the Confederate Army. Only four students reported for classes in the fall of 1861, so few the university closed temporarily. The unit carried the flag in the Battle of First Manassas on July 21, 1861. The flag was used in one major battle before being retired, according to Shiloh Superintendent Dale Wilkerson. The Greys, as Company A of the 11th Mississippi and the Army of Northern Virginia, served in many of the most famous and bloodiest battles of the war. Wednesday s ceremony will include a living history presentation by Dr. Ben Kitchens. Kitchens will portray Governor John Marshall Stone. Gov. Stone served as brigade commander over the 11 th Mississip- June 8 meeting Continued from p. 1 one monument, with an interesting story behind it, includes a depiction of a hornet s nest with hornets angrily buzzing about? Join Randy Drais, amateur Civil War historian and Battle of Gettysburg buff, for a look at many of the lesser known facts, individuals, and locations pertaining to the Battle of Gettysburg and the Gettysburg National Military Park. Saturday June 4, 2016 is Confederate Memorial Day in Maryland, as we will be assisting the Maryland Division, UDC in their annual commemorative event at Loudon Park Cemetery to honor our brave and noble Confederate soldiers who rest in eternal peace on Confederate Hill. Supervisory Park Ranger Ashley Berry gets the 11th Mississippi Infantry Regimental Flag ready for a formal donation ceremony. / Staff photo by Steve Beavers pi numerous times throughout the war, said Wilkerson. The ceremony date also marks the 155th anniversary of the flag. This type of donation doesn t happen very often, said Wilkerson. It is a unique opportunity to receive such a remarkable artifact. We are looking for volunteers to meet us at Confederate Hill starting about 8:00 a.m. to help us place the over 600 flags on the graves, set up the flag pole, set up tables, chairs and canopies for our guests to sit under. Of course, we will also be looking for volunteers to help us after the ceremony to recover the flags, take down, fold and stack the chairs, take down the tables, take down the flag pole, and clean up the area before everyone leaves. Look forward to seeing everyone on Confederate Hill. --Dan Pyle, Commander 3
Mt. Olivet ceremony honors Captain Henry Wirz Pictures courtesy of Eric Zhang 6,229 Confederate soldiers buried in Chicago mass grave By Chuck Goudie From: http://abc7chicago.com/838784/http ://abc7chicago.com/838784/ CHICAGO (WLS) -- Chicago may be nearly 200 miles from the Mason-Dixon line, but there is a remarkable Confederate presence here. The largest Confederate soldier burial ground in the north and a memorial to Confederate fighters are both on federal government land in a Chicago cemetery. More than just an interesting piece of history, there are questions now about what happens to that memorial if the federal government bans Confederate symbols. In the city's Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood nestled in Oak Woods Cemetery is a 46-foot-tall memorial to Confederate soldiers. A bronze rebel fighter atop the pillar looks down on a mass grave - said to be the largest in the western hemisphere - containing the remains of 6,229 Confederate soldiers. Names of the dead are on bronze plaques with cannons and stacked cannonballs marking the perimeter. "It is largely forgotten or ignored but is a major, major Civil War monument right here in Chicago," said David Keller, Camp Douglas Restoration Foundation. 4 The soldiers buried here at what is called Confederate Mound had been held captive during the Civil War at Chicago's notorious Camp Douglas. Most of the southern fighters died of illness or starvation. "Originally they were interred in the city cemetery, which was the southern end of Lincoln Park, but in 1867 that cemetery was being closed. They were moved to Oak Woods," Keller said. Every year, members of the Illinois Sons of Confederate Soldiers hold a See Chicago Confederate grave, p. 5
Chicago Confederate grave Continued from p. 4 memorial event at the South Side gravesite. But with the issue now enflaming Capitol Hill, some calling for a full review of all Confederate symbols on federal land - what happens to the Chicago Mound? "You can't erase history from the landscape. You can't erase history from people's memories," said Russell Lewis, Chicago History Museum. "The Confederate soldiers were American soldiers and deserve some reasonable amount of honor," Keller said. Ironically, not far from the Confederate monument are the graves of Chicago's first black Mayor Harold Washington, African American Olympic star Jesse Owens and business magnate John Johnson. Both experts said even though the Confederate flag has no place at public buildings, the monument itself should remain. The National Cemetery Administration that manages Chicago's Confederate Memorial says they've received no complaints about it. It's a different story in New Orleans as the mayor wants the city council there to declare four public Confederate monuments as public "nuisances" and taken down. THE GILMOR BLADE Bruce and Nancy Null 2600 Masseth Avenue Baltimore, MD 21219 The Gilmor Blade is the monthly publication of the Col. Harry W. Gilmor Camp #1388, Sons of Confederate Veterans. SAVE THE DATES: Confederate Memorial Day at Loudon Park 6/4/16 Come early and help us set up for this event! June Camp meeting 6/8/16 Speaker: Randy Drais Topic: Exploring Gettysburg 5